PESHAWAR: The security detachment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s governor, chief minister and cabinet members, and special assistants and advisers to the prime minister costs more than Rs1 billion annually, the provincial assembly was told on Friday.

The government informed the house through a written reply during question hour that 343 personnel of the police force had been deployed for the security of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan at the cost of around Rs12 million a month.

It said the police personnel protecting Governor Shah Farman totalled 76 and the monthly cost of that security arrangement was Rs2.66 million.

According to it, the police security for ministers has the monthly financial implication of Rs12.7 million.

Minister says police personnel deployed in light of ‘threat perception’

The provincial government has also deployed 53 police personnel for the security of special assistants and advisers to the prime minister at the monthly cost of over Rs1.8 million, while 1,194 personnel protecting judges costs Rs41.7 million a month.

Besides, 1,162 police personnel have also been deployed for the security of retired and serving officers, other public officeholders, and others.

MPA Rehana Ismail of the opposition Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), who tabled the question, said the government had deployed police for the security of retired officers ignoring the politicians, whose life faced a ‘real threat’.

She said there was no need for the provision of security to retired officers.

MPA Shagufta Malik of the opposition Awami National Party (ANP) said in some cases, 20 police personnel had been deployed for the security of a single retired officer.

She asked the government to explain policy for the provision of security to retired officers.

Responding to the question, labour minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai said security was provided in accordance to the level of ‘threat perception’ regarding the relevant person and that the security of the governor, chief minister and others had been increased due to the prevailing security environment.

Shagufta Malik also raised the issue of non-implementation of the provincial cabinet’s decision regarding the grant of risk allowance to ministerial staff of the police department.

The home department, in its written response, informed the house that it had moved a summary for granting risk allowance to the ministerial staff of the police department but the finance department rejected it.

It said the implementation of risk allowance, which was admissible to their uniformed colleagues, was likely to benefit over 2,700 ministerial staff of the department all over the province.

The cabinet had decided in July 2013 to grant risk allowance to the ministerial staff of the police department. Implementation of that decision is likely to cost the province Rs335 million annually.

Labour minister Shaukat Yousafzai told the house that the summary was returned by the finance department after raising objections.

He, however, said the summary would be reviewed before being sent back for approval.

Through a question, Pakistan Peoples Party member Nighat Yasmin Orakzai demanded of the government to increase compensation for the police officials martyred fighting militancy in the province. She suggested that the Shuhada Package of KP police be brought to the level of the Punjab Police’s.

She said the Punjab government had fixed Rs20.5 million package for martyred police constables each, while the legal heir of the martyred police constable in KP was paid Rs5 million.

The lawmaker said around 2,200 officials and officers of the KP police had lost life in the fight against militancy.

The labour minister said the government had constituted a committee to review the package for the police. He said the salary package of the force would be increased.

Responding to question, health minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra said the government would provide a legal cover to the Sehat Insaf Card, a health insurance programme in the province. He said that OPD package would also be included in the programme for which the beneficiaries would pay monthly premium.

He said the government employees would be covered in first phase of the programme and general public in the second and that the government would bear 70 per cent of the cost of the OPD package.

The government introduced the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Occupational Safety and Health Bill, 2022, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Apprenticeship Bill, 2022, in the house.

The chair later adjourned the sitting until Monday.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2022